What Are You Working on Now? Show Us What’s on Your Bench AND Enter Our December Contest!

Well folks, it’s that time again! Each month we ask the question, “What Are You Working on Now?” and we eagerly await a peek at your jewelry bench. We love to see inside your studios and hear about how your work is evolving. Each month we also feature the work of a random winner—who, in addition to getting a moment in The Studio spotlight, wins a $20 Rio credit!

This month’s winner is Beth Beck of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

Most times I sit down at the bench and just start bending silver or copper wire to see what I can create. Then, on occasion, there’s a special gemstone that requires a little more care and dedication, as was the case with this unique imperial jasper. This is when I draw out a design. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that sometimes, no matter how hard I try, a piece just doesn’t come together like my drawing. However, this one is right on track. This is what’s currently on my bench.

And here are a few handcrafted pieces from Beth’s Etsy store, BM Studio:

Now it’s your turn to show us what you’re working on. What inspires you these days? What materials are you dying to work with? Add a comment to this post with photos of something that’s on your bench right now.

This next part is REALLY important, so take notes!

WE NEED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IN ORDER FOR YOUR ENTRY TO BE CONSIDERED.

To enter, leave a commentright here in the comments on THIS BLOG POST.

In your comment, share one or more photos of a creation from your bench in ANY state of completion.

Tell us a little about your approach or technique. Describe how this piece came to be and give us some context. Your fellow jewelers LOVE to read this stuff and so do we.

Be sure to give us your FULL NAME and include a link to your blog, website, and/or Etsy store. We want a chance to see more examples of your work!

After you add your comment, be sure to check back and make sure your photo has properly uploaded. We don’t want to miss your pic!

Enter and, this time next month, you might be spending an extra 20 bucks at Rio Grande and basking in The Studio glow!

Our next winner will be in the spotlight in December—reminders will be posted on Rio’s Facebook page, so visit us often! The contest deadline is December 3, 2014 at midnight.

Reader Interactions

Comments

I tend to not sketch out ideas… I wait for the stones to “speak” to me, and then start placing them on metal, and seeing what seems to work. So I started with this Sea Sediment Jasper, then decided it wanted a border, then started playing with ornamentation for the border. The stars I had ordered from Rio several years ago and sadly see that you no longer carry the smaller ones This piece is called “Peace in the Night”, and to me the squiggly line is a comet, with the stars, and then the silver balls I made from scrap are planets. I used LOS I got from Rio years ago for the patina, and am very pleased with the range of colors I got.

I tend to not sketch out ideas… I wait for the stones to “speak” to me, and then start placing them on metal, and seeing what seems to work. So I started with this Sea Sediment Jasper, then decided it wanted a border, then started playing with ornamentation for the border. The stars I had ordered from Rio several years ago and sadly see that you no longer carry the smaller ones This piece is called “Peace in the Night”, and to me the squiggly line is a comet, with the stars, and then the silver balls I made from scrap are planets. I used LOS I got from Rio years ago for the patina, and am very pleased with the range of colors I got.

I love working with sterling silver wire and faceted gemstone to create clean, modern floral and nature inspired pieces. I completed this piece which features amethyst and white topaz gemstones and am working on a new one in variations of blue topaz and white topaz. I tend to work from very loose sketches (as you can see in the first photo) and layer various materials on top of the sketch to form a more 3D “sketch model”. From there it is off to forming and soldering to build and connect all the parts and pieces. The really fun part is seeing it come together when I set the stones!
More of my work, both completed and in progress, can be seen at the links below!
Website: http://www.kristenbaird.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/kristenbairddesigns
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KristenBairdDesignsLLC

My name is Jan Bennett, dba SUN LYON STUDIO. I love mixing my sterling silver designs with the organic feel and look of brightly dyed leather. I have been designing and fabricating sterling silver findings for leather cord and strap for about seven years now. This particular Greek Leather is 5mm. The cord ends fit into the end of the centerpiece and are secured . The centerpiece is actually three different parts that I built and have soldered together, building this in such a way that I can embellish each one in a unique way. As I specialize in stamping and chasing, I always build my pieces so that I can hammer and stamp into the design. You can view more of my work on my website or facebook page.http://www.sunlyonstudio.comhttps://www.facebook.com/sunlyonstudio?ref=br_rs

I am a self taught metal smith with a small home studio. I love working with metal and creating something beautiful from nothing. I think that the challenge is what intgrigues me the most and keeps me wanting to learn more. My favorite metalsmithing style to work with is, creating filigree using the ancient Yemenite method of preparing and twisting the wire. I just finished this commissioned piece that is displayed in the photos. My dream is to make my hobby into a small business by the end of this year and retire from my full time job to work with doing something that I love to do and follow my true passion! I have not attended any formal classes, but would love to attend a few once I retire and have the time to dedicate to my passion. Some of my work can be seen on my Facebook page at:

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Rio Grande’s Blog

Welcome to Rio Grande's Blog, a meeting place for those who, like all of us at Rio Grande, share a passion for making jewelry.

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